1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the game of golf, and more particularly to improvements in golf driving range facilities. In particular the present invention relates to the combination of a sensing apparatus for detecting the down range impact of golf balls, either actual or projected, computer apparatus for processing information derived from the impact data, and output apparatus for providing the golfer with feedback relating to accuracy, distance, consistency and for displaying useful information while presenting the golfer with a variety of skill challenging, instructional and competitive options.
2. Description of the Background Art
The game of golf is a popular sport played by millions throughout the world. The sport is enjoyed by men, women and children of all ages and has seemingly universal appeal. While a game of golf is customarily played on a golf course, many players sharpen their skills at various practice facilities.
The most common practice facility is a golf driving range. Golf driving ranges are typically configured with a hitting area, comprising either natural grass or artificial turf, and a landing area or range including various targets such as greens, and yardage markers. Driving ranges allow golfers the opportunity to practice and improve various aspects of their game and provide for practice sessions where golfer's may practice by hitting hundreds of balls in a single session while varying shot and club selection.
While golf driving ranges of the background art provide a basic setting for practice, there are a number of disadvantages present. For example, while most driving ranges provide targets for golfers to aim at to improve accuracy, factors such as visibility, light conditions, and distance often make it difficult for the golfer to accurately judge the accuracy and true distance of the golfer's shots. Determining accuracy becomes increasingly difficult when the golfer is sending balls hundreds of yards down range, particularly when the golfer is practicing at night on a dimly lighted driving range. Accordingly, golf driving ranges could be significantly improved by the addition of features that would provide a golfer with accurate feedback regarding shot accuracy and distance. Another disadvantage present in golf driving ranges of the background art is the lack of variety offered to the golfer by an expansive range that does not offer the opportunity for specific skills challenges and means for keeping score. Accordingly, golf driving ranges could be improved by the addition of features that would enable golfers to select a specific target and accurately track shots directed to the selected target. In addition, golf driving ranges could be improved by features that would allow the golfer to select and play a simulated round including, for example, tee shots followed by fairway and chipping shots, either alone or in competition with fellow golfers. Such improvements would preferably include means for automatically keeping each golfer's score during the simulated round.
The background art has revealed several attempts to improve golf driving ranges, each of which includes a number of undesirable characteristics. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,981, issued to Zausmer, discloses a system for determining the distance a golf ball has traveled from a tee and the distance a golf ball is lying from the middle of a green. Much like conventional driving range designs, the Zausmer system relies on a series of markers placed in the fairway and requires that the golfer estimate the distance of his ball.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,990,708, issued to Ingwersen, discloses an indoor/outdoor golf facility including outdoor mechanized greens constructed to retrieve a golf ball through a position indicating mechanism. The mechanized greens disclosed by Ingwersen are raised from the ground and include downwardly sloping segment surfaces, netting material, and golf ball activated switches. The Ingwersen system also requires that the golfer estimate the distance of his tee shot. U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,557, also issued to Ingwersen, discloses a simulated golf green comprising a segmented target. Use of segmented target areas, however, does not provide an accurate indication of the landing location of golf balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,023, issued to Heffley, Jr., discloses an all-weather driving range including a scoreboard and impact responsive devices by which the scoreboard registers a score in response to an impact on the target. Heffley, Jr. also discloses a vertical screen divided into sections and electronically configured such that yardage is estimated by detection of impacts on the various sections of the screen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,441, issued to Rousseau, discloses a golf course simulator. Rousseau relies on a vertical target incorporating an impact detector matrix and a computer to determine the point of arrival of the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,389, issued to Reising, discloses a golfing range including various targets and coded balls. Target greens located at varying distances from the teeing area having sloping surfaces leading to a hole located at the lowest point of the surface. After a ball rolls into the hole of the green, a sensor scans the ball and identifies from which tee the ball came. Each green can have a different point value depending upon the difficulty of the golf shot required to land on that green. After the ball rolls into the hole of the green, a sensor scans the ball and identifies from which tee the ball came. A scoring device then registers a score at a corresponding tee.
The references of the background art fail to overcome the disadvantages present in golf driving ranges and fail to disclose or suggest suitable apparatus or methods for use in a golf driving range setting. Accordingly, there exists a need for a system and method for providing a golf driving range that provides a golfer with a wide variety of games of skill while tracking actual ball flight accuracy and distance, and providing instructional information such as video swing analysis.